1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to tooth cleaning devices, and particularly, to edible and/or disposable chewing utensils that clean teeth and freshen breath between meals or regularly scheduled tooth brushing sessions.
2. Background Art
Consumer tooth cleaning devices designed to help individuals control plaque buildup on teeth have existed for many years and in a variety of forms. The most basic technique for controlling plaque formation is through the use of hand-held, disposable toothbrush appliances, commonly known as toothbrushes. Other forms of mechanical tooth brushing devices include hand-held electrically driven toothbrush heads/bristles or ultrasonic tooth cleaning devices, and handle-free, chewable toothbrushing devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,013 B2. Non-mechanical devices for tooth cleaning include chewing gum, fluoride rinses, and anti-bacterial mouthwashes. Because each of these tooth cleaning options has varying benefits and drawbacks, consumers must balance an array of variables when choosing one device over another, such as purchase costs, cleaning effectiveness, convenience of use, etc.
Traditional hand-held toothbrushes purchased over-the-counter at retail outlets typically include an elongated handle formed from a thermoplastic, with nylon bristles securely embedded in rows at one end of the handle. A user of a traditional hand-held toothbrush typically applies toothpaste containing breath fresheners and fluoride, a known plaque inhibiter, to the bristles, and then gently scrubs the teeth with the bristles to mineralize the tooth enamel. For effective cleaning, a daily ritual of tooth brushing might include a session upon waking for the day and a session at the end of the day, with sparse opportunities, if any, throughout the day.
More expensive variations of the traditional toothbrush include hand-held, electrically driven toothbrush heads/bristles and ultrasonic tooth cleaning devices. Electrically driven devices such as these generally provide better cleaning results than traditional toothbrushes, but the lack of portability together with high initial and recurring costs of these devices sometimes dissuade users from purchasing these products altogether.
Significantly, however, traditional toothbrushes and the more modern electrically-driven devices suffer from a common shortcoming—they are impractical to use between meals throughout the day because they are too cumbersome, too costly, or rely on manipulation of a handle attached to the tooth brushing device to clean one's teeth and gums. Since consumers don't want to wait until the end of the day to have clean teeth and/or fresh smelling breath, consumers have resorted to more convenient but less effective options, such as chewing gum or rinsing with fluoride and/or anti-bacterial mouthwash formulations. Unfortunately, none of the non-mechanical alternatives provide the same level of tooth cleaning performance as compared to any of the hand-held mechanical tooth brushing devices. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a mechanical, handle-less tooth brushing device having equivalent tooth cleaning and breath freshening characteristics as compared to traditional tooth brushing methods, and conveniently usable throughout the day between meals.
Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,013 B2, discloses a handle-less, chewable toothbrush with omni-directionally positioned bristles affixed to a resilient bristle anchor. The bristle anchor is made of a deformable material that returns to its original shape when not being chewed. Inside the bristle anchor is a cavity usable for holding a substance, such as a dentifrice, which is released upon biting into the chewable toothbrush. However, Clark neither teaches nor suggests a handle-less chewable toothbrush having a brush unattached and floating inside a temporary shell.